Driven to play: Lots of fun stuff for visitors at North American International Auto Show

If you want to have a blast at this year’s North American International Auto Show, be prepared to sign a few waivers.

Almost every activity car manufacturers have to offer requires that participants fill out their names and email addresses, and provide an electronic signature on mobile tablets manned by company representatives.

But fear not — the fun is safe and definitely worth the electronic paperwork.

In the middle of its floor show, Toyota gives attendees a chance to take a simulated test drive of its 2020 Supra — a resurrection of a car the company hasn’t made since 2002. After the driver buckles into an exposed seat on an elevated platform, three TV monitors provide a first-person image of a starting line. Once the light turns green, the driver can gun it, but it’s easy to lose control and crash on the tricky turns. The simulator seat even tilts and jerks during sharp turns and off-course skids.

Windsor Star reporter Taylor Campbell tries the Chevrolet virtual all star baseball game at the North American International Auto Show on Jan. 15, 2019 at the Cobo Hall in Detroit.Dan Janisse /
Windsor Star

Chrysler also has a driving simulator tucked deep in its massive display of vehicles. Attendees can take a seat in a real Dodge Challenger and pretend the car’s moving while they steer around the track on the screens before them.

Kia and Ford both have real indoor tracks for their vehicles to ride around on. Visitors can hop in the passenger and rear seats of a 2020 Kia Telluride and let a professional driver manoeuvre them around a bumpy dirt loop. Evergreen trees and a waterfall animation give the ride a real outdoors feeling. Ford’s track is less to look at, but that’s because drivers inside the vehicle wear virtual reality headsets during the ride.

Windsor Star reporter Taylor Campbell tries the Ford scramble net challenge at the North American International Auto Show on Jan. 15, 2019 at the Cobo Hall in Detroit.Dan Janisse /
Windsor Star

Ford’s “scramble net” offers two walkways made from thick ropes, both suspended from the ceiling. Visitors can climb a set of stairs and stumble along the wobbly pathway above a display truck.

Chevrolet has an all-star baseball home run challenge, where participants can swing for the fences with a plastic bat depicting the company’s logo. Employees manning the booth equip the batter with a virtual reality headset — a popular tool at this year’s auto show — and let them take a crack at a few fastballs. Afterwards, Chevy emails participants footage from their at-bats.

Windsor Star reporter Taylor Campbell tries the Toyota Supra GR driving simulator at the North American International Auto Show on Jan. 15, 2019 at the Cobo Hall in Detroit.Dan Janisse /
Windsor Star

Images picked up by a camera at the Volkswagen display project a dynamic picture onto a large, pixelated screen near the company’s vehicles. The picture is composed of only black and white dots and mimics the shape and movements of whoever waves their arms in front of it.

Windsor Star reporter Taylor Campbell tries the Ford scramble net challenge at the North American International Auto Show on Jan. 15, 2019 at the Cobo Hall in Detroit.Dan Janisse /
Windsor Star

Public access

The auto show will be open to the public Jan. 19 to 26 from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m., with no one admitted after 6 p.m.

On Jan. 27, the show is open from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., with no admittance after 6 p.m.

Early entrance for handicapped people will be available daily from 8 a.m. at the Hall C entrance.

Tickets are US$14 for adults, US$7 for seniors aged 65 and older, and US$7 for children ages seven to 12. Children six years old and under can get in free with a parent or guardian. You can buy tickets at naias.com.

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